Combined Washer-dryer Patents (Class 34/596)
  • Publication number: 20080005925
    Abstract: A loading basket (6) for a washing machine (1) comprises a rear wall (8), a front wall (9) opposite the rear wall (8) and a side wall (7) defining an inner space (10) of the basket, as well as one or more dragging blades (12) arranged on the side wall (7) and projecting to the inside of the basket. The side wall (7) comprises a drilling with a plurality of small through holes (13), which are arranged at the vertex of respective domes (14) projecting to the outside of the basket (6), as well as a plurality of rounded projections (18) in the shape of a spherical dome without through holes and projecting to the inside (10) of the basket (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Inventor: Silvano Fumagalli
  • Patent number: 7228647
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a drying machine or a drying machine with washing function. The drying machine or the drying machine with washing function comprises a heater for heating air introduced into an inlet channel of a drum, an outlet channel for allowing air in the drum to be discharged out of the drying machine or the drying machine with washing function therethrough, and a circulating channel connected between the outlet channel of the drum and the heater. When the exhaust resistance of air at the outlet channel is large, some of air, passing through the outlet channel, is guided to the heater through the circulating channel. Consequently, the drying machine or the drying machine with washing function according to the present invention has an effect in that air flow rate sufficient to dry the laundry is obtained and time necessary to dry the laundry is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Sang Wook Hong
  • Patent number: 7204039
    Abstract: A washing machine includes a drum and a condensing duct connected with the drum. The condensing duct includes an air inlet, an air outlet and a condensing unit. A condensation water spray member is disposed in the condensing duct and a condensation water dispersing plate is supported by a lower portion of an inside wall in the condensing unit, and formed with an air-passing hole connected with the air inlet in a center portion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hwang-mook Cho, Byoung-yull Yang, Jae-ryong Park, Hyung-gyoon Kim, Sang-yeon Pyo
  • Patent number: 7204040
    Abstract: The present invention provides a drum type washer with dry function, by which a product cost is lowered and by which compatibility of a blower cover is enhanced. The present invention includes a first duct housing provided to a tub included in the drum type washer, a second duct housing provided to an upper side of the first duct housing, a blower cover provided to the upper side of the first duct housing adjacent to the second duct housing, the blower cover being formed of a synthetic resin based injection material, a heater provided between the first and second duct housings, a motor provided to the blower cover, and a blower provided under the blower being rotatably connected to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hwan Joo Myung, Choong Hwi Lee
  • Patent number: 7178264
    Abstract: A washing machine includes a water tub for accommodating wash water therein; a drum rotatably installed in the water tub; and a drying device for supplying hot air into the drum. The drying device includes a blower unit for forcing air to flow; a hot air supply duct for generating the hot air, the hot air supply duct having a heater therein and being connected to the blower unit; and at least one hot air jetting portion for jetting the hot air generated by the hot air supply duct into the drum, each of the hot air jetting portions having a hot air supply line for guiding a flow of the hot air and a plurality of nozzles connected to the hot air supply line to communicate with the hot air supply line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Daewoo Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Kyung Hag Kim
  • Patent number: 7149416
    Abstract: A heater for a washer-dryer includes a duct in which heating elements for heating the air flowing through the duct are disposed. A device for increasing the airflow in the area of a heating element is provided in the duct to improve the transportation of heat away from the heating element. The airflow device can be one or more projections on a wall of the duct extending into the duct and can be disposed upstream of the heating element with respect to a flow direction of the air, adjacent the heating element, and/or downstream of the heating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: BSH Bosch and Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Nawrot, Bert Peters, Andreas Ziemann
  • Patent number: 7146749
    Abstract: A fabric article treating apparatus for dispensing a benefit composition through a nozzle that directs the benefit composition as droplets or particles into the chamber of the fabric article drying appliance. The droplets or particles provide benefits to the fabric articles within the drying appliance. The treating apparatus includes one or more safety features, and/or it includes beneficial control concepts that enhance the effects of the benefit composition being dispensed through the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Bradford Scott Barron, Mary Jane Combs, Dean Larry DuVal, Keith David Fanta, Paul Amaat Raymond Gerard France, Christian Gerhard Friedrich Gerlach, Laura Lynn Heilman, Eugene Joseph Pancheri, Paul Joseph Russo, Christopher Lawrence Smith, Pedro Vincent Vandecappelle
  • Patent number: 7117612
    Abstract: The combination washer/dryer and method for operating a combination washer/dryer. The washer/dryer has a containment drum which receives wash water, and includes a perforated clothes drum which rotates within the containment drum. A heat plenum is provided in heat transfer relationship with the containment drum, and a source of heat coupled to the heat plenum supplies heat for water in the containment drum. During a drying cycle, hot air from the heat source supplied from the fire box to the containment drum for heating wash water during a washing cycle, and for supplying hot air during a drying cycle. A drying air plenum is connected to receive drying air from the source of heat, delivering the drying air to the top of the containment drum, where it enters the rotating basket. An exhaust plenum discharges hot air laden with moisture from the containment drum through a lint filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: American Dryer Corp.
    Inventors: Dennis Slutsky, Craig F. Bliss
  • Patent number: 7093377
    Abstract: There is provided an air inlet structure of a laundry dryer. In the air inlet structure, a base defines an air inlet, a front cabinet is disposed in front of the base and defines a suction hole to pass ambient air into the base, a cooling fan is stably disposed in the base to suck the ambient air, a blower tube forms a flow passage for the ambient air, a blower cover is fixed to the base to connect the blower tube and the cooling fan, and an air guide is disposed between the base and the blower cover, the air guide having a shroud at a center portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Young Jin Doh, Soon Jo Lee, Young Hwan Park, Jun Seok Lee, Kyung Seop Hong, Soo Won Park, Hwan Joo Myung
  • Patent number: 7070393
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for regulating a compressor installation with at least one compressor element (6) driven by a motor and, in the pressure conduit (11) thereof, a dryer (2) of the type comprising a pressure vessel (24) with a drying zone (3) and a regeneration zone (4), and a rotor (25) continuously rotated in this pressure vessel (24) by a motor (33), which rotor is filled with a regenerable drying agent. A portion of the compressed air is supplied, by means of a branch (15), to the regeneration zone (4) and, after cooling down and separation of the condensed water, is fed back to the pressure conduit (11). The speed of both motors (9, 33) is regulated by a regulation device (13) in function of the pressure in the pressure conduit (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Atlas Copco Airpower, naamloze vennootschap
    Inventor: Danny Etienne Andrée Vertriest
  • Patent number: 7062863
    Abstract: A washing machine and method of controlling a drying process thereof is provided. The washing machine includes a water temperature detecting unit and a controller. The water temperature detecting unit is disposed in a condensing duct to detect temperatures of condensed water. The controller determines whether an end of a drying process is reached based upon the water temperatures detected by the water temperature detecting unit, and terminates the drying process depending on a result of the determination. Accordingly, the drying process may be terminated without delay, irrespective of various factors, such as a weight of the laundry, moisture contained in the laundry, and the temperature of cold water supplied to an inside of the condensing duct, so that a drying performance is improved, excessive drying and damage to the laundry are prevented and energy is saved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young-Suk Chung
  • Patent number: 7020986
    Abstract: A drum type washing and drying machine includes a cylindrical rotary drum provided with multiple drum perforations on the cylindrical surface thereof and having a rotating shaft in a horizontal or a slanted direction, a water tub, supported in a main body of the machine, for accommodating the rotary drum therein; an air circulation channel for re-circulating air exhausted from the rotary drum back into the rotary drum via a dehumidification unit and a heating unit; and a lint trap device, installed in the air circulation channel, for filtering lint generated from laundry. The lint trap device at least includes a first and a second filter member capable of being detachably attached to each other, and the assembly of the first and the second filter member is freely attachably and detachably installed on a front upper portion of the main body in an approximately horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Nakai, Takahiro Inoue, Yoshitomo Kato
  • Patent number: 7017282
    Abstract: A washing machine including a drying apparatus. The washing machine including the drying apparatus quickly dries wet laundry by efficiently condensing and adsorbing vapor from humid air of high temperature flowing from a water tub during a drying-mode operation. The drying apparatus includes a condensing duct and a blower duct respectively mounted on a rear surface and an upper surface of the water tub. The condensing duct has an ultrasonic atomizing unit, a condensing unit and a water adsorption unit therein, while the blower duct has a blower fan and a heater therein. An inner space of the condensing duct is partitioned into a first condensing path, a second condensing path and a third condensing path by a first air guide and a second air guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Yeon Pyo, Hyung-Gyoon Kim, Byoung Yull Yang, Dong Hyun Lee, Kyu Sun Lee
  • Patent number: 6981336
    Abstract: There is disclosed a washing/drying machine having a purpose of shortening a time required for a washing operation and improving an operation efficiency, and comprising: an inner drum in which things to be washed are accommodated and in which a washing operation of the things to be washed and a drying operation after end of the washing operation are performed; a water supply passage for supplying water into the inner drum and a drainage passage for discharging the water from the inner drum in the washing operation; a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a gas cooler, an expansion valve, an evaporator and the like are successively connected to one another in an annular form via a piping and in which carbon dioxide is used as a refrigerant; and a blower for blowing air which has exchanged heat with the gas cooler into the inner drum to allow the air passed through the inner drum to exchange the heat with the evaporator in the drying operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Etsushi Nagae, Hiroshi Mukaiyama, Koji Ono, Masaya Tadano, Tetsuya Masuda, Kazuyoshi Tomochika, Takahiro Nakamura, Masakatsu Morishige, Harumi Takeuchi, Kiyokazu Fujikawa, Tamotsu Kawamura, Motohiko Kosano, Shinichi Akiyama, Nobuo Koumoto
  • Patent number: 6978556
    Abstract: A combination washing machine and dryer having a trap door interposed between a washing machine and a fabric dryer. After the washing machine has finished washing the clothes contained therein, the trap door automatically opens to allow the wet clothing to fall into the fabric dryer, thereby obviating the need for the user to interrupt whatever he/she is doing in order to remove the wet clothing from the washing machine and to transfer the clothing to the fabric dryer for subsequent drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Inventor: Ephelius Cornelious
  • Patent number: 6968632
    Abstract: A drum hatch engaging mechanism is for inclusion in a laundry appliance having a cabinet and a drum rotatable within the cabinet. The mechanism includes a drum hatch engaging member connected with the cabinet with the connection providing for movement of the member between non-engagement and engagement positions. An actuator is provided to selectively move the drum hatch engaging member between the positions. A catch member is connected with a sliding hatch of the drum. The connection between the catch member and the sliding hatch provides for movement of the catch member between a position adjacent the skin of the drum and an outwardly displaced position. The drum hatch engaging member includes a ramped abutment to engage and lift the catch member to the outer position through movement of the catch member toward the abutment during an opening rotation of the drum. The hatch engaging member includes a closing abutment facing the ramped abutment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Appliances Limited
    Inventors: Allen James Guinibert, Russell Joseph Jackson, Hugh Griffith Johnson, Bradley Clive Abraham, Daniel Keith Raphael Pitt, Bruce Reginald Frank McGregor, Geoffrey Simon Frazerhurst, Andy Alexander Hilgers, Daryl Leonard Hirst
  • Patent number: 6966124
    Abstract: A drum washing machine, which has a clothes-drying unit with a plurality of heat pipes. The heat pipes recover, during a drying-mode operation of the drum washing machine, heat from high temperature humid air flowing from a water tub, and combine the recovered heat with low temperature dry air flowing from an area around a condensing nozzle, thus saving time and electricity during the drying-mode operation. In the clothes-drying unit, an air duct includes first and second duct parts, having a condensing nozzle installed in the first duct part, and a blower fan and a heater installed in the second duct part. A lower end of the heat pipe is arranged in a lower end of the first duct part, and an upper end of the heat pipe is arranged in an upper end of the first duct part. The heat pipe thus recovers the heat from the air, which flows in the lower end of the first duct part, and combines the recovered heat with the air, which flows in the upper end of the first duct part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Doo-Young Ryu
  • Patent number: 6941679
    Abstract: A laundry machine having a malfunction detection system for detecting when an obstructing item protrudes outwardly from a perforated tumbler of the machine beyond a predetermined amount during rotation of the tumbler and for detecting when the drive belt for the tumbler is either broken or dislodged from its drive pulleys. In response to either malfunction, a control device is actuated for automatically shutting down operation of the machine. The obstruction detection system includes a cable disposed in closely spaced relation to an outer perimeter of the tumbler for engagement by an obstructing item extending outwardly from the perforated tumbler beyond the predetermined spacing of the cables. In the illustrated embodiment, the obstruction detection system and the drive belt malfunction detection system utilize a common malfunction detection switch and control circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Alliance Laundry Systems LLC
    Inventors: Stephen L. Harris, Andrew Kegler, Lon Borgmann, Thomas F. L'Esperance
  • Patent number: 6904703
    Abstract: In the dry clearing machine, a common refrigerator is used for both the solvent cooler and the drying cooler, and the coolant compressed and liquefied in the refrigerator is supplied either one of the heat exchanger of the solvent cooler or that of the drying cooler, depending on the state of a switch. In the heat exchanger selected by the switch, the coolant is supplied and the solvent or the air is cooled when the coolant evaporates. That is, only the cooler selected by the switch works, but the other cooler not selected by the switch does not work. While the laundry is washed, normally, it is not necessary to supply air to the outer tub through the air path, and the drying cooler need not be operated. Thus, in the process of washing, the solvent is adequately cooled because an enough amount of coolant is supplied to the solvent cooler, and the temperature rise of the solvent is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sanyo Electric Techno Clean Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Naganawa, Masafumi Nishino, Keiji Kitamura
  • Patent number: 6877248
    Abstract: A clothes dryer is provided which incorporates ultraviolet light sources to aid in the sterilization of the clothing as it is dried. A series of ultraviolet emitters, envisioned to be germicidal lamps, are located around the perimeter of the drying drum inside of the dryer. As the clothes dryer operates, these lamps are energized, and their light passed thru clear panels into the drying drum where they can aid in the killing of germs, bacteria and the like. Such a feature is envisioned as being particularly useful in hospitals, centers where biological studies are performed, or for those who are particularly susceptible to infectious diseases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Inventors: Gregory N. Cross, Tamela S. Cross
  • Patent number: 6775923
    Abstract: A laundry drier control method is provided, by which drying time is dynamically controlled according to an amount and type of a drying object, using a calculated medium temperature to determine a medium temperature time. The method includes steps of initiating a drying procedure by actuating drivers, including a heater driver to increase an internal temperature of a laundry drier; determining a medium temperature time by measuring a time lapse from the drying procedure initiating step to a point where the internal temperature reaches a medium temperature between a drying initiation temperature and a maximum drying temperature; setting a drying time based on the determined medium temperature time; and performing the drying procedure for the set drying time. The drying time is set by multiplying the determined medium temperature time by a predetermined factor. The drying initiation temperature is the internal temperature at the time of initiating the drying procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Gi Hyeong Do
  • Patent number: 6678969
    Abstract: A clothes dryer is disclosed, in which the clothes dryer comprising a first and second connecting ducts communicating with a drum, respectively, a first flow passage control device to communicate a heating duct with the first connecting duct or with the second connecting duct, and a second flow passage control device to communicate an exhaust duct with the first connecting duct or with the second connecting duct. When the first flow passage control device is operated to communicate the heating duct with the first connecting duct, the second flow passage control device is operated to communicate the exhaust duct with the second connecting duct. When the first flow passage control device is operated to communicate the heating duct with the second connecting duct, the second flow passage control device is operated to communicate the exhaust duct with the first connecting duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Sang Wook Hong
  • Patent number: 6671978
    Abstract: A combined washer and dryer that automatically moves laundry from the washer to the dryer thereby allowing the operator to avoid manually moving wet laundry and eliminating a step requiring the operator's presence. The invention includes an automatic load-feeder that automatically loads laundry into the washer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Inventors: Ian A. McGowan, Laura Tartaro-McGowan
  • Patent number: 6622531
    Abstract: A drum washing machine with a draw-out inner spin basket is disclosed. The inner spin basket is spigotted movably on a driving shaft through a driving hole in the back plate of the inner spin basket. An axle of the spin basket is provided at a front plate of the inner spin basket. An end of the axle is inserted in a bearing. A cover is disposed in front of a front plate of the inner spin basket. The inner spin basket is rotatably attached to the cover through the axle of the spin basket and the bearing. A slide connection is disposed in a housing in a manner so that the inner spin basket can be drawn into or out of the housing. Since the inner spin basket can be drawn out of the housing in the drum washing machine, the laundry can be put or taken in outside of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignees: Haier Group Corporation, Haier Merloni (Qingdao) Washing Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fuyu Ren, Da li Sun
  • Publication number: 20030051370
    Abstract: Method for controlling a drying process of a washing and drying machine including a preheating step for tightly closing and heating an inner tub for preparing an environment favorable for vaporization of water by elevating a temperature of the inner tub within a short time period, and a drying step for supplying heated air to the inner tub, to make heat exchange between the heated air and laundry, for drying the laundry, whereby improving a drying performance and reducing occurrence of environmental problem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Inventors: In Chul Jeong, Kyung Chul Woo, Kyeong Hwan Kim, Choon Myun Chung, Mu Yong Choi
  • Patent number: 6401363
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved drum assembly for washing and drying machines, in which the section of the wedge elements (8) facing the drum ring (3) and provided for engaging with the latter is formed, before the drum assembling, with an edge (9) defined by an inwardly turned wall of the wedge element and parallel to the surface of the front ring (3). This front ring is in turn provided, at each wedge element (8) with a window (10) the contour of which is so deformed as to provide a deformed portion (11) adapted for firmly engaging the edge (9). The invention provides a direct mechanical coupling between the wedge elements and front ring element, i.e. a mechanical coupling which does not comprise any welding spots susceptible to favor oxidation and sealing failure problems of the made connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Inventor: Pietro Miramondi
  • Publication number: 20010042391
    Abstract: A laundry treatment machine, in particular, a washing machine and/or drier, includes an electronic controller, an information output device, and an input device. The electronic controller automatically implements laundry programs and has a decision-maker identifying each laundry item placed therein. The decision-maker makes decisions to create an optimized treatment program for treating the combination of identified laundry items placed into the machine. An information output device presents to a user the optimized program as a proposal. An input device is connected to the electronic controller and is to be actuated by a user for confirming the laundry treatment program determined by the decision-maker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Inventor: Martina Wobkemeier
  • Patent number: 6272770
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus having a sealable pressure vessel and an agitator for agitating an article, such as clothing, in a liquid within the vessel to remove contaminants from the article. A fluid system supplies fresh liquid to the vessel and drains used liquid from the vessel to separate excess contaminated from the article, a portion of the contaminated liquid being retained by the article after this separation. One or more heating elements are activatable to vaporize the retained liquid, and a vacuum system is activatable to reduce the pressure in the sealed vessel while the heating elements are activated, such that the boiling point of the retained liquid is substantially reduced from that at atmospheric pressure. The liquid may be plain, ozonated or carbonated water, or a mixture thereof, and may be cooled by a heat exchanger before being introduced into the sealed vessel. Agitation during washing and drying is minimized for use of the apparatus as an alternative to dry cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: American Dryer Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis Slutsky, Ricky D. Lerette
  • Patent number: 6161306
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus is described for drying a load of moist fibrous material, particularly a load of laundry washed and placed in a washer/drier machine or a clothes drier, wherein a closed-circuit flow of superheated steam at 102-180.degree. C. and substantially at atmospheric pressure is passed through the load of fibrous material. The method is characterized in that, prior to the superheated steam drying step, the air in the closed circuit is flushed therefrom with steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: A.R.M.I.N.E.S - Association pour la Recherche et le Development des Methodes et Processus Industriels
    Inventor: Denis Clodic
  • Patent number: 6122843
    Abstract: Drum washer-drier includes a drum rotating about a horizontal rotary axis, a water tank including drum, and outer tank resiliently supporting water tank. A plurality of suspending rods are suspended from an upper inner surface of outer tank, and water tank is resiliently supported by providing compression springs between spring receiving portions at lower ends of suspending rods and support receiving portions of water tank. Further, a damper generating a sliding resistance as the spring is expanded/compressed is provided at the lower end portion of suspending rod. At the time of dehydration, drum is rotated for a prescribed time period at a rotation speed higher than critical rotation speed of a fluid balancer but lower than a resonance rotation speed caused by resilient support, and thereafter high speed rotation starts. A structure for protecting the fluid balancer formed of synthetic resin during drying is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeo Noguchi, Masaru Ando
  • Patent number: 6116060
    Abstract: A washer and dryer combination is provided including a housing having a fixed casing and a rotating basin rotatably mounted within the fixed casing. Also included is a rotation motor for rotating the rotating basin upon the actuation thereof, a hot air generation assembly for delivering hot air in the rotating basin upon the actuation thereof, an exhaust mechanism for expelling air from the rotating basin, a water delivery assembly for allowing the flow of water into the rotating basin upon the actuation thereof, and a water expelling mechanism including a pump for pumping water from the rotating basin upon the actuation thereof. Next provided is a control panel including a keypad and a display for selectively actuating the rotation motor, the hot air generation assembly, the water delivery assembly, and the pump of the water expelling mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Inventor: Jimmy D. Strader
  • Patent number: 6036988
    Abstract: A roasting apparatus for coffee beans comprises a housing and a horizontal drum on the housing rotatable about an axis with an opening on a first end thereof for receiving and discharging beans and a plurality of openings on a second end opposite the first end of size sufficient to pass air and insufficient to pass the beans. The apparatus includes a heater in the housing capable of heating the drum to roast the beans and a fan adapted to move air through the first and second ends of the drum. A pair of doors pivotally mounted on a common hinge between the fan and the drum are movable between a closed position during roasting substantially blocking passage of free flow of air through the drum and an open position permitting free flow of the air once the beans are sufficiently roasted. A chaff collector is secured to the housing at an end opposite the drum first end. The collector has a plurality of openings of size sufficient to pass air and insufficient to pass chaff from the beans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Source Intermarketing AG
    Inventors: Anthony R. Lemme, Chester Fudge
  • Patent number: 5940988
    Abstract: A dry cleaning apparatus including a housing having a door and an internal rotatable drum for receiving clothes to be cleaned, a motor and pulley system for rotating the drum, and a heating element having an air circulation blower for heating the clothes in the drum. The dry cleaning apparatus further includes a first hose connected to the housing for supplying pressurized air to the drum, a second hose connected to the housing for supplying water or water vapor to the clothes in the drum, and a third hose and vacuum pump connected to the housing for evacuating air and/or fine particulate matter from the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Inventor: Daniel Eisen
  • Patent number: 5930909
    Abstract: A process and system for impregnating garments with insect repellent, the ocess including the steps of placing the garments in a first machine and tumbling the garments therein, introducing into the first machine a mixture of liquid insect repellent and water so as to spray the mixture onto the tumbling garments, terminating the introduction of the mixture into the first machine and continuing the tumbling of the garments therein, terminating the tumbling of the garments in the first machine, and placing the garments in a second machine and tumble drying the garments therein; and the system comprising a reservoir for a mixture of the repellent in liquid form and water, a first machine for receiving and retaining the garments and tumbling the garments, a spray nozzle in the first machine for directing a spray of the mixture onto the garments during tumbling thereof, a conduit extending from the reservoir to the spray nozzle, and a pump in the conduit for flowing the mixture from the reservoir to the spray nozz
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Bartley F. McNally
  • Patent number: 5906056
    Abstract: Drum washer-drier includes a drum rotating about a horizontal rotary axis, a water tank including drum, and outer tank resiliently supporting water tank. A plurality of suspending rods are suspended from an upper inner surface of outer tank, and water tank is resiliently supported by providing compression springs between spring receiving portions at lower ends of suspending rods and support receiving portions of water tank. Further, a damper generating a sliding resistance as the spring is expanded/compressed is provided at the lower end portion of suspending rod. At the time of dehydration, drum is rotated for a prescribed time period at a rotation speed higher than critical rotation speed of a fluid balancer but lower than a resonance rotation speed caused by resilient support, and thereafter high speed rotation starts. A structure for protecting the fluid balancer formed of synthetic resin during drying is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeo Noguchi, Masaru Ando
  • Patent number: 5887456
    Abstract: A drum type drying/washing machine performs drying without the flow of cooling water during a predetermined period of time or a period of time determined in accordance with an amount of clothes. After the passage of the period of time, the machine starts the flow of the cooling water so as to perform drying with cooling-dehumidication. The drum type drying/washing machine, at the initial stage of the drying operation, also performs not only the heating of clothing, but also the rotating of a drum at a high speed to dehydrate the clothing. A drum type drying/washing machine rotates a drum at an almost a maximum rotational rate at which, in a low speed rotation, materials to be processed can roll over in the drum; or at a rotational rate above which, in the low speed rotation, the materials to be processed as a whole stick to the inner peripheral wall of the drum. Further, the drum is accelerated to a high speed rotation only when an output from an unbalance detecting device is a predetermined level or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanobu Tanigawa, Hiroyasu Nakagawa, Tsuyoshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 5746070
    Abstract: A spin drum for use in a horizontal axis clothes washing machine. The spin drum includes a generally semi-cylindrical side wall composed of stainless steel, first and second plastic end caps and first and second metal trunnions. The side wall has first and second ends with radially corrugated peripheries and a plurality of vanes that extend between the first and second ends. The vanes help define the radially corrugated peripheries of the first and second ends. The first and second plastic end caps are respectively secured to the first and second ends of the side wall and have flanges that are contoured to fit inside the radially corrugated peripheries of the first and second ends. The first and second metal trunnions are respectively disposed over the first and second plastic end caps and are secured to the first and second ends of the side wall and to the first and second plastic end caps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: White Consolidated Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Jack W. Bailey, Joseph E. Howard
  • Patent number: 5704136
    Abstract: A method of controlling the drying operation of a washing machine which comprising proceeding with an initial drying operation by applying a power voltage to a motor for a predetermined period of time according to the volume of laundry being treated; proceeding with an interim drying operation by applying a power voltage to the motor at a predetermined phase angle according to the volume of the laundry; and following with a main drying operation by applying a power voltage to the motor for a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: In-Haeng Cho
  • Patent number: 5537761
    Abstract: A method for controlling the drying process of a vortex-type washing machine capable of accommodating a laundry article for drying therein comprises the steps of (A) heating an ambient air by a heater, (B) driving a motor in a forward direction, (C) driving the motor in a reverse direction to the forward direction, and (D) repeating the steps (B) to (C) until the laundry article become dried to a desired dry level, wherein each of the steps (B) and (C) includes the steps of (a) turning on the motor to rotate the pulsator to spread the laundry article; (b) turning off the motor to pause the rotation of the pulsator to thereby help the settlement of the laundry article; and (c) repeating the steps (a) to (b) at least N number of times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Daewoo Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seung-Sub Oh
  • Patent number: 5402586
    Abstract: A device for controlling a drying period of time in a washing machine which can control drying of laundry with an optimum period of time, comprises a non-conductive pipe arranged to drain water extracted from laundry well, a transmission voltage generating part, mounted inside of the non-conductive pipe, for generating a transmission voltage corresponding to the quantity of the draining water, a comparing part for comparing the transmission voltage with a predetermined reference voltage to generate a compared signal, and a microcomputer for controlling a motor for drying operation in response to the compared signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignee: Goldstar Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young H. Roh